July First: New Moon Horrors
by Hollowmist
Summary: A new home with new surprises isn't always unusual...


**AN: I do not own FMA or its characters. The plot is mine though... *evil snicker*. I hope everyone realized there is a full moon of the first of July! **

The new house was strange but no one in the family seemed to mind. "June third," the raven-haired man sighed, "Really takes you back. Your father made me his apprentice on this day."

"I know, I was there," the woman replied, her gaze still glued to the old house. This would be their home for the next year.

"What do you think sweetie?"

"I love it, Daddy!"

* * *

><p>Major General Roy Mustang cast a worried glance at his six year old daughter. She was playing with one of her 'imaginary friends' again. At first this phenomenon seemed like innocent child's play then it became an obsession for Janie. He cast another glance at his daughter.<p>

"Have some of your tea Mr. Banks. Its really good," Janie pushed the tea glass towards the empty chair in front of her. "You can't drink tea?" She paused as if waiting for an answer. "Oh, so you can't drink at all. That's sad." Janie set the cup on the ground and continued talking to nothing. Roy sighed and maneuvered himself into the kitchen to make a call.

After two rings the desired person answered. "Hello, Riza?"

"_What is it? You do realize that you call almost ten times a day right?"_

Her tone suggested that she was annoyed but he pressed the matter at hand anyway. "I'm calling about Janie. She keeps talking to the chair where her friend is; I can't even get her to go outside. I'm worried about her."

"_You know that that friend of hers is like a real friend to her so let her play."_

"Alright, mom knows best for her kid, but I'm still worried."

"_Ok I'll be home tomorrow so hold down house until then." _There was a snap on the other end of the line and Roy laughed_. "Oh go ahead and laugh. When I get home the Führer will be able to pick on you rather that his granddaughter. Tell Janie that I love her."_

"So... you don't love me?" Roy made sure the pout could be heard in his voice.

"_Fine, love you too. Now I have to go."_ The line went dead and the raven-haired general sighed.

LATER THAT NIGHT

APROX: MIDNIGHT

He had never been a big fan of sleeping without his wife curled up next to him. _Just one more night, _he promised his lonely side_, then she will be home_. A giggle interrupted his thoughts. Crawling out of bed he moved stealthily to the door. The giggling persisted. Cautiously he opened the door and peeked his head out. The hall was freezing. Glancing at the cooling system located next to his door Roy noticed it still read 80 degrees. His breath was visible as it swirled from his mouth.

"Don't be silly Mr. Banks I really do like you a lot." Peering down the hall the General located his daughter. Her arm was up next to her shoulder and her hand was slightly curled, almost like she was holding someone's hand. The window cast shadows along the walls all in an eerie blue glow from the full moon. Roy looked at Janie's shadow... there was a shadow next to hers... holding her hand.

"I went to the park with daddy yesterday. I'm sad because he thinks your bad for me." Roy continued to stare at Janie as she moved closer to the window. The figure of a man was outlined by the night's glow.

"Janie!" Roy called, suddenly very afraid for his daughters safety, "What are you doing up sweetheart? Its late you know." Trying to smile he nudged her towards her room.

"I was walking with Mr. Banks, Daddy. He wanted to show me the secret entrance to the attic." She smiled up at him. She took his hand and the temperature in the hall dropped even more. The floorboards creaked like something was slowly walking towards the pair. "Mr. Banks still wants to play daddy so I'll go to bed in a little while." Tugging out of his hand, Janie turned and ran back down the hall and around the corner towards the hidden attic staircase.

"Janie! No! Don't go with Mr. Banks right now, its late and Mama will be home in the morning and if you're tired she will shoot her guns at me." He pleaded trying to coax the little girl back towards him. There was no response.

MORNING: SIX O'CLOCK

Roy Mustang hadn't slept a wink throughout the course of the night. Even after Janie's happy laugh had come back down the hall and into her room, he had been afraid to close his eyes. The shadowy outline of the famous Mr. Banks haunted his conscious mind, the gloomy shadow coming from the feat of the apparition and holding his little girl's hand. He shivered. Thank god Riza is coming home.

"Hey! I'm home!" A feminine voice shouted from downstairs. Jumping off the bed Roy ran to give his wife a hug... and an explanation. He was beat to it by a certain raven haired girl.

"Guess what mommy? I bet you can't guess so I'll tell you. Mr. Banks showed me the secret staircase to the attic!" She was bouncing up and down in front of her mother smiling the whole while. "You push the wall really hard and then there is a staircase. The attic was scary but Mr. Banks held my hand the whole time and told me it was ok!"

"I will have to thank Mr. Banks later then for playing with you." Riza was smiling but her eyes were cast towards Roy and held too many questions for him to answer.

* * *

><p>Riza pulled her husband up stairs and locked the door to their bedroom. Looking at her face Roy knew he was in for a serious lecture or a bombardment of unanswerable questions. "Roy this game of hers is getting out of hand."<p>

"I don't think its a game Riza." He paled, now he would have to explain."

"Care to explain?"

"Last night she was giggling outside the door so I went out. She was walking down the hall. I looked at her shadow and there was another shadow next to hers. I saw Mr. Banks' outline in the window."

The sharpshooter didn't look impressed. "So are you playing along with all of this now? Is this some kind of trick for me to find funny? Because I assure you Roy I am not amused in the least."

"No. I'm not playing games."

THAT NIGHT BOTH PARENTS STAY UP INCASE JANIE IS WANDERING.

"But Mr. Banks can't we play in the attic again?" Their child's voice brought the adults out of their thoughts. Glancing at each other they moved to open the door. Janie was standing by the window again. "You are going to help me learn? Are you a teacher then?" Riza almost screamed at the outline currently looming over her daughter. Roy clapped a hand over her mouth.

The head of the now identified spirit turned slowly towards the terrified parents. The chill was instantly felt. Breath puffed from mouths in curls of white smoke and goose-bumps appeared on arms and necks. "Oh, don't worry about them." The chill was gone with the echo of the girls voice. "'Night Mr. Banks, I will see you tomorrow for math help."

* * *

><p>By the end of the month nothing had changed but Janie's math grades. They were much better but her parents still feared for her. The fear was slowly leaving them though. The night of July first was fast approaching, the night of a new moon.<p>

On said night Riza and Roy woke up to a frightened scream. Riza grabbed her gun while Roy held tightly to his ignition gloves. Tracing the scream to the attic, they ran to the hidden staircase.

Janie was crumpled on the floor crying insanely. Mr. Banks stood over her fully visible. The dark suit he wore was freshly coated in a few sprinkles of blood and his face was a harsh mask of anger. Riza fired three shots through the man's greying head. There was no blood, no marks, no pain on his end whatsoever. A few pillows exploded into a frenzy of feathers. He was gone.

Roy bent over his raven-haired child. There were bloody gashes covering her arms and legs as well as her face. "Janie? Janie, please, talk to me?"

"I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'll try harder I promise." Her whimpers were barely audible but echoed though her fathers head.

"Riza?" He turned around hoping to tell her to call the hospital but she wasn't there. "Riza! Riza? Not funny Riza. Come on this is serious!" No answer, not even a whisper of movement of a trace of sound. _Oh shit. _Quickly he carried Janie to the room he shared with Riza and set her on the bed. She was still whimpering and he didn't know what to do.

"Roy! Help!" Riza's voice pierced his ears, panicky and broken. Roy knew she was in trouble. He ran to the kitchen. A sinister laugh came from within the room. Red light poured from the groove under the door as another plea was heard. The laugh grew more frightening with each agonized wail being torn from his lover's lips.

Roy pushed the door open, his hand positioned to snap. The lovable Mr. Banks paused in his work of cutting into Riza's shoulder with a large butcher's knife. She was cut in a number of places and blood was beginning to pool around her. Her pajamas were tattered and turned to a sickening maroon from their usual baby blue. Again Mr. Banks vanished as Roy approached.

Clutching her tightly to him the second the ghost faded. Roy cast a glance at her, she was unconscious and barely breathing. "Riza?" Gently setting her down again he immediately called the police and the hospital. He leaned against a counter top waiting for the tell-tale sirens to approach. Looking at his reflection in a window it warped until he was looking at Mr. Banks' twisted face. The crooked teeth looked sharp and red while the eyes were spinning madly out of control, staggering away from the glass the reflection wavered and then vanished. Roy shivered out of fear.

**AN: Enjoy the new moon everyone...**


End file.
